OBIT: William Bender WILSON, 1919, Holmesburg, Philadelphia County, PA

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WILLIAM BENDER WILSON.

  Colonel William Bender Wilson, brother of Mrs. E. H. Turner, 1501 Ninth 
street, and an uncle of Wilson H. Turner, this city, died at his home, 8057 
Frankford avenue, Holmesburg, a Philadelphia suburb, Thursday morning aged 
80 years.  He was a Civil war veteran and was president of the United States 
telegraph corps, whose members were veteran wiremen of the civil strife.  He 
was born at Harrisburg, April 5th, 1839, and entered the service of the 
Pennsylvania railroad in 1855, working in this city under Andrew Carnegie 
and Robert Pitcairn, when they were respectively superintendents of the 
Pittsburg division.  In 1861, Colonel Wilson became manager of the federal 
military telegraph office at Washington, D.C., his chief being Secretary of 
War Cameron.  He won the friendship of President Lincoln, who was his ardent 
friend.  Later Colonel Wilson was in secret service work, and afterward, a 
Philadelphia councilman.  He wrote a number of books on military and railway 
themes, including a history of the Pennsylvania railroad, and was awarded a 
gold medal a number of years ago by the state legislature for his patriotic 
service.  Mrs. Turner and her son left yesterday to attend the obsequies at 
Philadelphia, today at 10:30 a.m.

Altoona Tribune, Saturday, March 1, 1919, page 14